***The official must have Windows Phone 8 apps, tips, tricks and customisations thread (with added s

Macro · 12 Nov 2012 at 21:57

As it was mentioned in the Lumia 920 thread but doesn't yet seem to exist (unless I've missed it!) I'll kick off a thread to share info for new WP8 owners.

I'll open with:

Skype preview - http://www.windowsphone.com/en-gb/store/app/skype/c3f8e570-68b3-4d6a-bdbb-c0a3f4360a51

Battery level - http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=69c5134c-5de7-426e-8ee1-d8442026d512

&

SkyDrive - http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=ad543082-80ec-45bb-aa02-ffe7f4182ba8

Over to you....

photoshop · 13 Nov 2012 at 01:12

How do you go about getting contacts from iOS to the Nokia 920? Is there a simple way to transfer everything over (on windows)?

MissChief · 13 Nov 2012 at 03:38

It can't be an official thread without stars. Props to that man for adding some.

photoshop · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:02

Also, is there an easy and quick way to turn the phone to silent vibrate only and then back to normal without going into the settings?

Quick way to enter camera from lock screen?

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:26

photoshop said:
Also, is there an easy and quick way to turn the phone to silent vibrate only and then back to normal without going into the settings?

Quick way to enter camera from lock screen?

From the lock screen just press volume down button. The volume control will slide down over the lock screen and in the top right corner you can press the soft button to flip between "vibrate" or "ring and vibrate" without having to unlock the phone.

To use the camera from the lock screen just press and hold the camera button (bottom one on right hand side). It will enable the camera and allow you to take photos without unlocking the phone (i.e. you can only take a photo, not access or do anything else). The idea is you can take a photo quickly although the phone itself remains locked so you can't do anything else. Handy for passing to someone else.

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:36

Windows 8 "Modern UI style" companion app - http://apps.microsoft.com/webpdp/en-GB/app/windows-phone/0e0fbaf6-fd99-4046-b494-9ce469ae3009

Windows "traditional style" desktop app - http://www.windowsphone.com/en-GB/how-to/wp8/windows-phone-app-for-desktop

Mac OSX app - https://itunes.apple.com/GB/app/windows-phone/id415571499?mt=12

Interestingly the Windows desktop app will give you a choice of syncing music and playlists from Windows media or iTunes. The iTunes sync actually works really well surprisingly.

photoshop · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:44

For iPhones there's iTunes for playlists, photos, music and videos syncing etc.
What's there for W8Phones?

How do I add my music/videos/pictures to it and keep them all synced between phone and PC?

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:48

Cheesy description from the website but worth posting as I suspect lots of people have not spotted room functionality. Supports WP8. WP7and IOS so far, not seen any reference to Android support yet.

Rooms are an invitation-only place on your phone – and on the phones of the other members – where you can share a private calendar, group chat, photos or videos, and notes. When you invite someone to a room, they'll receive a text message with a link to join.

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-GB/how-to/wp8/people/use-rooms-and-groups

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:50

photoshop said:
For iPhones there's iTunes for playlists, photos, music and videos syncing etc.
What's there for W8Phones?

How do I add my music/videos/pictures to it and keep them all synced between phone and PC?

Either drag and drop (plug the phone into your PC and it's seen as USB storage device) or use one of the apps I mentioned above.

photoshop · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:52

Athanor said:
Either drag and drop (plug the phone into your PC and it's seen as USB storage device) or use one of the apps I mentioned above.

Skydive?
I'm still using XP and the desktop app isn't supported

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 08:57

photoshop said:
Skydive?

Skydrive would make the files available to you, yes, although I don't think it would "sync" back to local storage on your PC/Phone.

WP8 uses Skydrive to auto sync every photo you take into cloud storage automatically as you take them.

Xbox music give you free (ad supported) music streaming or no ads with a music pass. Could be quite data intensive if you are not connected to wireless though and not much use on a train unless someone has figured out how to cache the music locally (actually I think you can "download" a limited number of tracks)

photoshop · 13 Nov 2012 at 09:02

So am I right in saying you can't create playlists and organise it like you can in iTunes (if it's just drag and drop)?

Seeing as its drag and drop......can you create folders or a stash where maybe you keep private pictures and stuff ;-)

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 10:06

Yes, you can create playlists or indeed import ones you already have on your windows PC or in iTunes using the desktop apps I mentioned earlier.

photoshop · 13 Nov 2012 at 16:10

What if you don't want to transfer over from iTunes? What if you want to start afresh? Do MS/Nokia do a desktop app like iTunes to organise your digital music library?

PhillyDee · 13 Nov 2012 at 17:54

With WM7 it was Zune, but I believe they are rebranding it.

DeathStorm · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:32

PhillyDee said:
With WM7 it was Zune, but I believe they are rebranding it.

Aren't you supposed to use the Windows Phone store app?

McPhee · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:43

WP8 can sync in various ways.

If you have Windows 8 there's a Metro app for syncing your handsets.

If you have previous versions of Windows you can use USB Mass Storage Mode, Windows Media Player, or just about any other program.

On OS X, same as above, though I believe you might need Windows Phone Connector or something to get full support in iTunes.

Alternatively, you could sync everything via Skydrive.

I believe they are working on a desktop program for Windows, though it's not ready yet.

photoshop said:
How do you go about getting contacts from iOS to the Nokia 920? Is there a simple way to transfer everything over (on windows)?

Contacts Transfer app? Should be in the Nokia Collection in the Store.

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:53

photoshop said:
What if you don't want to transfer over from iTunes? What if you want to start afresh? Do MS/Nokia do a desktop app like iTunes to organise your digital music library?

Yes, in Windows 7 it's Zune or Windows Media player, in Windows 8 it's Xbox music or Media Player

Macro · 13 Nov 2012 at 18:56

satchef1 said:
WP8 can sync in various ways.

If you have Windows 8 there's a Metro app for syncing your handsets.

If you have previous versions of Windows you can use USB Mass Storage Mode, Windows Media Player, or just about any other program.

On OS X, same as above, though I believe you might need Windows Phone Connector or something to get full support in iTunes.

Alternatively, you could sync everything via Skydrive.

I believe they are working on a desktop program for Windows, though it's not ready yet.

Contacts Transfer app? Should be in the Nokia Collection in the Store.

I've linked to the Mac, Windows 8 metro and Windows Desktop app (preview) further up the thread. So far for me the Windows Desktop app is the best although to be fair I don't think it's really needed, at least not for me.

photoshop · 13 Nov 2012 at 19:34

Cheers guys. Its very helpful as I've been using iOS for the last 4yrs.

What cool apps is there then for WP8?

Also, on the Windows Store (when browsing on the PC) when you find an app you want does it go straight onto the phone or is it stored/download onto the PC and then synced by "Zune" desktop application?

Sorry for the basic questions, but i should hopefully get the phone delivered tomorrow or the day after and want to have the knowledge ready and be setup ASAP rather than scratching my head.